Mar 18, Doha: A Doha Criminal Court has sentenced three Sri Lankan men to jail and fined for illicit trade and consumption of drugs, according to a report in Gulf Times.

The court sentenced the first and main defendant to three years in jail and imposed a fine of QR 200,000 (about Rs. 8.3 million) for keeping a substantial quantity of heroin for trade and personal consumption.

The other two were sentenced in absentia to one year in jail and ordered to pay a fine of QR 10,000 each for consuming hashish.

The matter had come to light after the Drugs Prevention Department at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) received information from a source that a person was circulating illicit drugs in his area.

An undercover officer had approached him to buy some heroin and the two agreed on a sum of QR 2,500 for the quantity to be sold. At the agreed time and place, the delivery took place and the defendant was accompanying two of his compatriots in his vehicle. Upon further search of their accommodation more quantities of the illicit drugs were found packed and ready for sale.

Further, a blood test conducted on them proved they used to consume heroin and hashish, Gulf Times reported quoting local Arabic daily Arrayah.